Metal stringing for tennis rackets



March 31, 1925. 1,531,862

W. A. LARNED METAL STRINGING FOR TENNIS RACKE'I'S Filed Jan. 30, 1922 Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

unirao srarss rATEnr-oFF cEf WILLIAM A. LABNED, 0F SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY. ASSIGNOR TO THE DAYTON STEEL I RACQUET CQMPANY, 0F DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

METAL STRINGING- FOR TENNIS RACKETS.

Application filedJanuary 30, 1922. Serial No. 532,753.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I. WILLIAM A. LARNED, a citizen of the United States, residing at Summit, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Metal Stringing for Tennis Rackets, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of my invention is to provide for tennis rackets and the like a metal stringing which is cheap and durable. and extremely resilient and yielding.

The invention contemplates a stringing which comprises a plnralit of strands of wire so coiled. braided or wound that they will easily vield when stretched, and there after readily return to their original form. The resiliency or spring of the stringing is mainly due to the fact that when it is stretched under the impetus of the ball, it will decrease in diameter as it lengthens by virtue of the coiling, braiding or winding of its metal. strands, although it may be assisted by the extension of the metal itself.

To facilitate the decrease in the diameter of the stringing when stretched, the metal strands of which it is composed are coiled, braided. or wound to leave a hollow center. However, a center for the coiled, braided or wound strands making up the metal stringing, may be employed if it consists of a material which will withstand a certain amount of compression, thereby allowing the stringing to decrease in diameter as it lengthens.

In the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a plan view of the head and throat portion of a tennis racket, showing my metal stringing employed therein. Figure 2 is a side elevational view of said stringing coiled around a central core. Figure 3 is a cross section taken through the same. Figure 4 is a side elevational view of said stringing with a hollow center. Figure 5 is a cross section taken through the wire strands comprising said stringing, to show its hollow center. Figure 6 is a side elevational view of a braided stringing before being extended under the impetus of theball, and Figure 7 is a side elevational view of said stringing after being stretched under the impetus of the ball, showing how said stringing has decreased in diameter.

Throughout the specification and draw-'- ings, similar reference characters denote corresponding parts.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates the head portion, and

2 the throat portion, of a tennis racket frame made of metal, wood or other suitable material. Strung in this frame in any suitable manner is'a stringing 3 which preferably comprises a number of strands 4 of steel wire or other suitable metallic material. While I have shown six of said strands, any greater or less numbermaybe employed. i

The strands 4 of wire are so coiled or wound that they will easily give or yield when stretched and thereafter readily return to their original form. The coiled strands as'they lengthen, decrease in diameter to give the stringing which they con-' stitute its extreme resiliency under the impetus of the ball. In order that the diameter of the stringing mav readily decrease as it lengthens, the metal strands of which it is composed are coiled or wound to leave a hollow center 5. (See Figure However, a center 6 composed of fabric or other material which will withstand a certain amount of compression, may be employed if desired. (See Figures 2'and 3.)

In Figures 6 and 7 I have shown a stringing consisting of braided strands 7, showing in Figure 6 the stringing before it is extended, and in Figure 7 the same stringing after it has been stretched under the impetus of the ball. In the latter figure the decrease in diameter of the stringing after it has been stretched, is shown. The same contraction occurs in the stretched wire strands, or in those of any other metallic material of whichthe stringing is composed, when it is coiled or wound as I have hereinbefore described.

I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction and arrangement herein shown and described, and any changes 0r modifications may be made therein with- Wires spirally inter'wound around an elasin the scope of the subjoined claims. tic center. 10 Having described my invention, I claim: In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 1. A tennis racket having an elastic metal my hand this 26th day of January, 1922.

5 stringing comprising a number of Wires Wound together. to leave a hollow center. WILLIAM A. LARNED. 2. A tennis racket having an elastic l Vitness: metal stringing comprising a plurality of HOWARD S. SMITH. 

